Attributing illness caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) to specific foods

Report

Edited by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

This book reviews sporadic Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections and identifies foods that facilitate their spread, including meat, vegetables and fruits. The analysis covers 957 STEC outbreaks from 27 different countries. Overall, outbreak data identified that 16 percent of outbreaks were attributed to beef, 15 percent to produce and 6 percent to dairy products. In 57 percent of all outbreaks, the food sources could not be identified.

STEC infections are a substantial public health issue worldwide, causing more than 1 million illnesses, 128 deaths and nearly 13 000 Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) annually. To appropriately target preventative interventions, it is important to determine the specific types of foods leading to these illnesses.

Overall, the meta-analysis identified the beef and "meat-unspecified" categories as significant risk factors for STEC infection, with significant variation depending on geographic region. Prioritizing interventions to control beef supply chains may provide the largest return on investment when implementing strategies for STEC control.

Bernan Distribution / Food & Agriculture Organization

Pages: 71 • Trim: 7 x 9¾

978-92-5131746-4 • Paperback • January 2020 • $35.00 • (£27.00)

Subjects: Technology & Engineering / Agriculture / General

Attributing illness caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) to specific foods

Report

Paperback

Summary

This book reviews sporadic Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections and identifies foods that facilitate their spread, including meat, vegetables and fruits. The analysis covers 957 STEC outbreaks from 27 different countries. Overall, outbreak data identified that 16 percent of outbreaks were attributed to beef, 15 percent to produce and 6 percent to dairy products. In 57 percent of all outbreaks, the food sources could not be identified.

STEC infections are a substantial public health issue worldwide, causing more than 1 million illnesses, 128 deaths and nearly 13 000 Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) annually. To appropriately target preventative interventions, it is important to determine the specific types of foods leading to these illnesses.

Overall, the meta-analysis identified the beef and "meat-unspecified" categories as significant risk factors for STEC infection, with significant variation depending on geographic region. Prioritizing interventions to control beef supply chains may provide the largest return on investment when implementing strategies for STEC control.

Details

Bernan Distribution / Food & Agriculture Organization

Pages: 71 • Trim: 7 x 9¾

978-92-5131746-4 • Paperback • January 2020 • $35.00 • (£27.00)

Subjects: Technology & Engineering / Agriculture / General

Author

Founded in 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO provides a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. The Organization publishes authoritative publications on agriculture, fisheries, forestry and nutrition.